The College of Arts and Sciences  (CAS) at the University of South Carolina  (USC) invites nominations and applications for the position of Director of The School of the Earth, Ocean and Environment  (SEOE). The SEOE is a center for innovative, integrative, and inclusive research and education across a broad spectrum of natural and social sciences. The SEOE consists of approximately 35 full-time faculty members and 10 staff members who support programs in Environment and Sustainability (Environmental Science and Environmental Studies), Geology and Geophysics, and Marine Science. The SEOE enrolls some 600 undergraduate majors in four bachelor’s degree programs and 60 graduate students pursuing MS, Masters of Earth and Environmental Resources Management (MEERM), and Ph.D. degrees, as well as regularly hosting postdoctoral and visiting researchers and scholars.

The successful applicant will be expected to contribute to one or more of these programs through research and teaching and to provide overall leadership facilitating cooperation and coordination across disciplines. We seek a nationally recognized researcher, an experienced teacher, and a proven leader who is excited to guide the SEOE through its next phase of growth.

The Director will:
· Provide leadership as well as principled administrative guidance and advocacy for faculty, staff, students, and alumni to promote the mission of the SEOE in teaching, research, and public service/outreach.

· Represent the SEOE to the University administration, foster collaboration with other schools and colleges at USC, and provide leadership in guiding, engaging and building partnerships across and beyond the USC campus.

· Communicate the mission and importance of the SEOE’s programs to external audiences in order to sustain and increase private and public financial and non-financial support.

The successful applicant must hold a Ph.D. degree in a relevant natural or social science field, years of experience consistent with academic policy for faculty rank and be tenurable in the SEOE, preferably at the rank of Full Professor.

In addition to its location on the university’s main campus in Columbia, SC, the SEOE includes the Belle W. Baruch Institute for Marine and Coastal Sciences , consisting of field laboratory facilities, research faculty, and support staff located on Hobcaw Barony , near Georgetown, SC as well as facilities  within the SEOE. The Baruch Institute conducts research and supports education to improve the management of marine and coastal resources and advances basic science for the well-being of people and their environment. It was established in 1969 through the joint efforts of the University of South Carolina and the Belle W. Baruch Foundation.

As the largest college at USC, the College of Arts and Sciences is the intellectual, artistic, scientific, and instructional heart of the university. The college is home to award-winning scientists, scholars and teachers that span the arts, humanities, natural science, and social science disciplines. The college’s 26 schools, departments, academic programs, and institutes offer 109 degrees to over 8,700 undergraduates and more than 850 graduate students. College faculty are consistently recognized both nationally and internationally for teaching and research excellence.

As a leader in research among programs nationally that seek to promote a deeper understanding of fundamental Earth and ocean processes and human relationships with these systems, the SEOE is committed to diversity and inclusion among our faculty, student body, and staff.
The University of South Carolina does not discriminate in educational or employment opportunities on the basis of race, sex, gender, gender identity, transgender status, age, color, religion, national origin, disability, sexual orientation, genetics, protected veteran status, pregnancy, childbirth or related medical conditions.

Start date: July 1, 2024